Q: How do I find out if there are endangered or threatened species that could be affected by my project and what are my responsibilities?
A: The Chesapeake Bay Field Office reviews proposed projects within the Maryland, Delaware and Washington D.C. region for potential impacts to federally listed endangered and threatened species, in accordance with Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Project applicants must provide a map on which the project is located and a brief description of the project to us, and we then provide a list of any federally listed species in the project area and potential impacts for you to consider in your environmental review. If there are no endangered or threatened species present, you do not need to consult further. Use the Project Review tool for step-by-step guidance through this process.

Q. What should I do if there is a bald eagle on my land or project site?A. Bald eagles and golden eagles are protected under the Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle Protection Act. Specific guidelines to help landowners and land managers avoid disturbing bald eagles can be found at: http://www.fws.gov/northeast/ecologicalservices/eagle.html

Q: I found an injured wild animal. Who should I call?
A: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service does not have rehabilitators here on staff. Call your local veterinarian, humane society, or county or municipal wildlife agency to find the nearest qualified wildlife rehabilitator that can take and treat the animal. You can locate a wildlife rehabilitator by zipcode on this web site: www.wildliferehabber.org/

Q: I found an injured wild bird. Who should I call?
A: If you find an injured, orphaned, or oiled native wild bird, contact Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research at 302-737-9543. Telephones are answered 7 days a week between 9 am and 5 pm. For additional information, visit their website: http://www.tristatebird.org/
Q: Can I keep the bird and nurse it myself?
A: No. It is against the law to keep a bird, injured, orphaned, or otherwise, without the proper permits. In most cases, injured birds required specialized professional attention to survive and to be successfully reestablished in the wild.

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act makes it illegal for anyone to take, possess, import, export, transport, sell, purchase, barter, or offer for sale, purchase, or barter, any migratory bird, or the parts, nests, or eggs of such a bird except under the terms of a valid permit issued pursuant to Federal regulations. The migratory bird species protected by the Act are listed in 50 CFR 10.13. View more information and the list at Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Q. Can I remove an osprey nest from a dock, boat, house, construction equipment, or other structure?
A. Ospreys, like other migratory birds, are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Osprey nests can be removed without a permit if the nest is inactive. A nest is considered active if there is an osprey pair present and observed adding sticks, nest lining or general maintenance. To remove an active nest requires a permit. See the Guidelines for Osprey Nest Removal for details.